Please help us continue to provide you with free, quality journalism by turning off your ad blocker on our site.

Thank you for signing in.

If this is your first time registering, please check your inbox for more information about the benefits of your Forbes account and what you can do next!

I agree to receive occasional updates and announcements about Forbes products and services. You may opt out at any time.

I'd like to receive the Forbes Daily Dozen newsletter to get the top 12 headlines every morning.

Forbes takes privacy seriously and is committed to transparency. We will never share your email address with third parties without your permission. By signing in, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Statement.

The True Costs Of Owning A Pet

Double lattes, fresh flowers and checkout-aisle chewing gum are all perfectly harmless impulse buys. But a dog? A rabbit? An iguana? Not so much. Owning a pet is a serious financial (and emotional) commitment, especially when you consider the fact that some domestic animals can live for 15, 20 or even 50 years. "Purchase costs are just the beginning," says Gail Buchwald, senior vice president of the ASPCA's Adoption Center.

Adopting a dog from an animal shelter can cost as little as $50 in fees, while breeders can charge upward of $600. But consider these other expenses, says Buchwald: food, vet visits, training, medical insurance, grooming sessions, toys, treats and dental cleanings. Plus, once your pooch ages, he or she could very well need medications, arthritis supplements or surgeries. All told, for a large dog, that could mean at least $1,570 a year. Over a 12-year lifespan, adding in various one-time expenses, a large dog can cost upward of $22,000. And city dwellers who employ dog walkers will really need to dig into their pockets: With a year of short group walks running about $5,000, figure on spending at least $83,000 total over a big dog's lifetime.

On the more exotic (and sometimes more affordable) side, are birds, which frequently can be picked up gratis from owners who cant care for them anymore, says Lorelei Tibbetts, manager and head technician for the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine in New York City. Or you can go the breeder route, purchasing a small bird, such as a parakeet, for about $100, and a large one, like a macaw, for $800. The macaw could set you back up to $149,000 over a 50-year lifetime, taking into account its cage and furnishings, food (which should include nuts and fresh fruits), toys, vet visits and the likelihood of having to treat one major medical issue. A parakeet costs about $575 a year, or $9,850 over an average 10-year lifetime.

While hamsters can be quite affordable--expect to shell out about $440 over their short, two-year lifetime--the cost of owning some other little furry friends, namely rabbits and ferrets, might surprise you. Ferrets go for just $100 to $200 from a breeder, but you can bank on the cuddly critters getting at least one of three common ailments--lymphosarcoma, insulinoma or adrenal disease--each of which can cost at least $1,500 to treat. "They all get one," says Tibbetts. "I tell new ferret owners, 'Start saving now. "

Cold-blooded animals like lizards, geckos and snakes require a surprising array of equipment to be kept in humane conditions: a tank, tank furniture, a UVB light and hood, heating devices, a thermometer and a hydrometer to test moisture levels. Treatment for common lizard ailments such as constipation and dehydration can require a hospital stay costing up to $700. It all adds up to anywhere from $4,900 to $9,000 over a reptiles 10- to 20-year lifetime.

Most likely to break the bank: a horse (of course, of course), with lifetime costs reaching into the hundreds of thousands for an equine that is stable-boarded, relatively healthy and lives a full life of about 30 years.

But you can always justify it this way: With the absence of clothing, car and schooling costs, youll never spend as much on a pet as you would on a child.